金毛是什么地方的狗?
金毛是英国犬。
1.首先,我们从金毛的名字“Goldie”说起。根据已故的Ken Morris在《The Golden Retriever》一书中的记载,“Goldie”这个名字最初的来源是一首19世纪中期流传于苏格兰地区的民谣:The Dog of the Manse(庄园主的小狗)。歌词这样唱到:
O my laddy dear, will you go a-hunting to-day? (亲爱的主人啊,你今天去打猎吗?)
My father's gun is all in order; he has loaded it with care (我父亲的枪准备好了;他认真地给它装满了弹药) My mother’s parcels are all prepared for the journey; she made me a coat (我母亲的包裹准备好了;她给我做了一件新大衣) I am shod with leathern bootes, and my gold ring glittereth as we ride along. (我的鞋子上着钉了皮掌,我们的马儿奔腾疾驰时,我手上的金色戒指闪闪发光) And there's few that can tame me, for I am bold and proud wi' good reason 我很难驾驭,因为我很有理由既自信又骄傲 You see, my father chokes me if I lay not by his side 而当你看到我在你父亲身旁躺卧时,请不要惊讶 He will nip your hand if you dare touch me or pull on my hair (如果你敢碰我或拽我的毛) You must never beat me, nor strike at me with stinging words (你不可以打我,也不可以用恶语攻击我) If you do, I will flee unto the manse door, and lie waiting until you beg my pardon
2.关于这首歌的来源,Morris引用了Fergus Linnell在《The Highlanders of Scotland》一书中的说法,“It is said that this air was sung in the streets of Edinburgh by a young girl called Annie Laurie, whose beauty was world famous...This air seems to have been especially loved by sailors; they sang it to their sweethearts while on shore leave, and many a green maiden's heart was broken by its plaintive notes."
3.其次,我们来看GOLDIE这个英文名的另一个版本——GOLDDY。根据已故的Eric Partridge 在《A Dictionary of Slang and Unconventional English》中收录的说法,这又是美国俚语中形容女孩身材火爆的一个双关语,表示“having the figure of a golden-haired goddess”。所以,用中文表达就是“金发尤物”。比如,你可以骂一个不怀好意的搭讪者“You are a GOLDDY!”,或者夸一个姑娘“You have got such a nice GOLDDY!”。
4.最后,我们通过金毛的外貌特征来看看它到底是什么品种的狗。很多人可能不知道,金毛其实是一种非常“中庸”的狗。所谓“中庸”,其实就是这个品种被造得比较“杂”,很多不同体型的狗被混在一起,造成这个品种的血统很混乱。从外表很难判断一只金毛年龄、性别以及体型。